The Conversion of St Paul, which bookends with the Confession of St Peter, ending the week Prayer for Christian unity.

The Lord 

is glori-ous 

in his 

saints (in all their wild and weird, conflicting, confusing and contrasting variety.) Come, let us adore him. 

I love that it is IN his saints.... God is seen IN us in all our wild and weird, conflicting, confusing and contrasting variety..              

                                        The Conversion of St Paul

     I always think “The Conversion of St Paul” is a misnomer. Although God knows he, (like you and me)  needed conversion along the way AS St Paul, today’s feast celebrates his conversion from Saul of Tarsus to the person who became St Paul. First he was literally thrown off his high horse, blinded for 3 days, led to Ananias, completely turned around and sent off in the opposite direction. The same guy who showed such zeal in destroying Christians then used the same energy and drive and personality to spread Christianity to an amazing degree. He obviously was not all that easy to live with, hence the need for on-going conversion. 

     Remember that he who was blinded by the light of Jesus Christ never actually met Jesus in the flesh. I always forget that this Apostle to the Jews is like you and me -  coming after the earthly life and ministry of the Lord.   When I was at St Matthew’s going to grade school, where I first met and learned to love this Lord who walked with me among the sycamore trees there, we had chapel every day. One of the hymns we sang from the Hymns for Children section of the real Hymnal (1949!) said 

          I wish that his hands had been laid on my head,

          that his arms thrown around me, 

          and I might have seen his kind look when he said

          “Let the little ones come unto me.”  

I never had that privilege and neither did he, though in truth hands were laid on my head and his and arms have been thrown around us in welcome and love. And yet our conversions too are unmistakable, though perhaps less dramatic in experience and effect that Paul’s.

     I think of ALL the conversions that were required, and are required still, for us to believe and become faithful to God’s call.  Not just Paul but what about Ananias who was told unequivocally (no mere suggestion here!) to go to such and such a house where he would find Saul, the arch enemy of this small band, these people of he Way, and lay hands on him to restore his sight and pray that he be filled with the Holy Spirit.  What faith and obedience it took to do that! That little snippet is all we hear of Ananias story. . We are never converted alone. 

      Paul was no stranger to the streets of Athens. I love Jack Lindquist’s description of being on a street in Athens and  seeing a sign:    

             METANOIA! .... TURN AROUDN!! 

   NOW! YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY! 

Just so. 

Who can tell how often he offends? 

Cleanse me from my secret fault.  

Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;  let them not get dominion over me. 

Ps 19:12-13